


Window Shopping

by MissLiz



Series: Kitty's Challenge [2]
Category: Gunsmoke
Genre: F/M, Kitty's Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-19
Updated: 2019-12-19
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:33:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 795
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21863794
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissLiz/pseuds/MissLiz
Summary: The first "quickfic" challenge I wrote as part of the Amanda Blake Forum. The prompts--Genre: Slice of life Place: General Store Object: Pan
Series: Kitty's Challenge [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1575091
Kudos: 2





	Window Shopping

Kitty made her way down the boardwalk, skirts swishing behind her. Parasol in one hand, reticule in the other, she glanced across the street occasionally, then looked ahead in the distance. She was on her way to the general store, but her real reason for being out that sunny spring morning was the hope of catching a glimpse of Matt riding back into town from his trip to Hays. As she approached the doorway to Jonas' store she heard a familiar voice and quickened her steps slightly. Maybe Chester would have some news about Matt. Her concern about Matt was momentarily forgotten, however, when she heard what Chester was saying.

"Thanks a whole lot, Mr. Jonas. And don't forget, I'd sure appreciate it if you didn't mention this to Mr. Dillon."

"All right, Chester, all right!" Mr. Jonas sounded exasperated, a common reaction to dealing with Chester. "Go on, now, I've got work to do!"

Chester nearly knocked Kitty down in his haste to get out the door. "Excuse me, Miss Kitty," he stammered. "I guess I wasn't lookin' where I was goin'." He tipped his hat slightly with one hand. The other hand was behind his back, holding an awkwardly-shaped package wrapped in paper. He turned slightly, but Kitty had already caught a glimpse of it.

"Good morning, Chester," Kitty said warmly. "Nice to see you."

"Uh, yeah," he responded distractedly. "I have to be runnin' along now, Miss Kitty. I want ta get on back ta the jail an' redd it up 'fore Mr. Dillon gets back." He sidled past her and backed out the doorway, still keeping the object behind his back.

"Goodbye, then, Chester. Come on by the Long Branch when you're done and I'll buy you a beer." Kitty continued on to the counter. Jonas was just replacing the last two potatoes on a display he was re-stacking. Kitty didn't need to ask what happened. "What was it that Chester was trying so hard to keep me from seeing?"

"A frying pan," he answered matter-of-factly, slowly nodding his head up and down.

Kitty raised her eyebrows. "Why would he want to hide a frying pan?" In a moment it dawned on her. "Oh, no, he didn't try to fry eggs in coal oil again!"

Jonas sighed. " To tell you the truth, Miss Kitty, I stopped listening to his story after about a minute and a half. Something about mistaking gunpowder for black pepper, I think he said."

Kitty covered her mouth with a gloved hand and laughed softly. "No wonder he didn't want Matt to know. Doesn't he realize he'll find out when he comes in to pay this month's bill?"

"Well, that's his problem. Your order came in Miss Kitty, I've got it all wrapped up for you." He reached under the counter to retrieve the package. "Special occasion?" he asked, trying to conceal his curiosity.

"Can you put it on my bill, Mr. Jonas?" Kitty turned away before he could see the faint blush coloring her cheeks. She hoped it would be a special occasion indeed the first time Matt saw her in the nightgown she was planning to have made. "I'm just going to look around a little while, I'll let you get back to your work."

"Let me know if there's anything else I can get you," Jonas said, disappearing into the back room. Kitty spent a few minutes browsing through the store, not really paying attention to what she was looking at. Without meaning to, she found herself looking at a display of rings locked in a glass jewelry case. Most of them were fairly modest in comparison to the rings she wore. The plain gold and silver bands in the bottom row caught her eye. She spent a moment pondering whether she would ever wear one. She was unaware of the small sigh that escaped her lips at the thought that she might not.

"Penny for your thoughts," a deep voice behind her offered. Her heart stopped for a moment as it always did whenever she first became aware of his presence.

"Matt!" she said, whirling to face him. "I didn't know you were back."

"Just got in." If he was aware of what she was looking at, he showed no sign of it. "I don't know what Chester's up to, but he won't let me in the office. How'd you like to go to dinner with me?"

"I'd like that very much." Kitty smiled up at him, frying pans and wedding rings forgotten for the moment. Matt put his hand at her waist and escorted her out the door in the direction of the cafe, their minds not on dinner but on the dessert they would share later that night in private.

End


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